Running-gear for wagons



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. D. HURD.

RUNNING GEAR FON WAGoNs.

No. 473,577. PatentedNpr. 26, 1892.

EL IlIVI (No Model.) 2 sheets-snede. L. D. HURD.

RUNNING GEAR POR WAGONS.

h No. 473,577. Patented Apr. 26, 1.892.

w a. y

UNITED` STATES PATENT OFFICE,

LORENZO D. HURD, OF VELLSVILLE, NEW YORK.

RUNNING-GEAR FOR WAGONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent No. 473,577, dated April 26, 1892.

Application filed September 4, 1890. Serial No. 363.895. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I,- LoRENzo D. I-IURD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vellsville, in the county of Allegany and State of New York, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Running-Gear for Wagons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of wagons in which the front wheels are mounted upon short axles which are independently pivoted to the head-block or frame and both connected 'with the tongue, so that .upon turning the latter both axles are turned in the same direction. A wagon of this character is described and shown in Letters Patent of the United States N o. 318,906, granted to me May 26, 1885, my present improvements having more especial reference to the running-gear covered by said patent.

One object of my invention is to obtain a closer build of the front gear, so as to permit the wagon to turn in a smaller circle and relieve the draft-animals from side strains and to locate the turning-pivots of the axles closer to the wheels, so as to bring the load more directly over the wheels and facilitate the steering of the wagon.

My invention has the further objects to yieldingly support the Wagon-body in a simple manner without raising the body above the ordinary height; also, to prevent undue deflection of the reach, so as to lessen the liability of its being broken by the draft when the wagon is heavily loaded or by the thrust applied to the reach when the wheels strike an obstruction, and, finally, to prevent displacement and wrenching of the yielding bolsters.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure l is a side elevation of a wagon containing my improvements with the near wheels of the wagon removed. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the running-gear partly in section. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the front gear on an enlarged scale. Fig. is a vertical section at right angles to Fig. 3 in line o; or. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of one of the spring-supports of the rear bolster on an enlarged scale.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the head-block or front axletree; a a, the independent front axles; B, the front wheels, mounted on the spindles a of said axles, and C the tongue.

D is the rear axle; D', the reach, rigidly connected at opposite ends to the rear axle and head-block, and D2 thebody or box.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, E E are hollow vertical spindles seated with their lower ends in bearings f, arranged at the outer ends of a strap or brace f', which is secured to the lower portion of the head-block A, and with their upper ends in bearings g, formed in supporting-plates G G, secured to the upper portion of the head-block. The spindles are conined in their bearings by vertical `bolts g', passing through the bearings and the closed ends of the hollow spindle and having shoulders g2, which hold the bolts against vertical movement in the bearings and whereby the bolts are prevented from clamping the spindles.

The spindles E are each provided 'with a horizontal socket h, which opens outwardly and extends inwardly beyond the axial line .of the spindles, as represented in Fig. 3. The

sockets h are formed at their inner ends with a long bearing h', in which the inner portions of the short axles are secured by nuts z', applied to the threaded inner ends of the axles and abutting against the ends of said bearings. The axles are held against inward movement in these bearings by their collars t', which rest against the inner ends of the sockets 7L, as represented in Fig. 3. The axles may be formed in one piece with the spindlesockets; but they are preferably made separate and detachably secured in the sockets,`so

that in case an axle becomes worn or broken it can be readily replaced by a new axle without requiring any other parts to be renewed.

The hubs of the front wheels are preferably provided with inwardly-projecting sleeves j, which surround the axles and extend into the sockets of the upright spindles E. These sockets inclose the inner portions of the axlespindles a and form caps, which exclude dust, dto., from the axle-spindles.

It, Fig. 2, represents the actuating arms formed on or secured to the spindles F., and Z is the cross-bar connecting these arms with the tongue and whereby both axles are turned together. The ends of this connecting-bar are attached to the actuating-arms, preferably by IOO shifting connections such as are described and shown in the Letters Patent hereinbefore referred to, so that in steering the wagon the inner actuating-arm is moved through a greater arc than the outer arm and the inner Wheel turned to a greater extent than the outer wheel.

By attaching the inner ends of the axles to an offset or lateral support located inside of the axial line of the spindles, as shown, the upright spindles are brought more closely to the wheels than when the axles are attached to the spindles outside of the axial line, thereby shortening the radius of the arc through which the Wheels move and enabling the wheels to turn in a smaller circle or space. This arrangement also shortens the leverage of the axles from the upright spindles to the wheels, thereby red ucing the whipping or side strains transmitted to the animals through the tongue when the wheels are deflected in passing over obstructions. The weight or load is also brought close to the wheels by this construction, rendering the steering easier for the animals.

M represents the front bolster of the wagon, provided near opposite ends with transverse bearing-blates m, having cavities or recesses m in their under sides, as represented in Figs. 3 and 4.

'n n are sockets formed in the supportingplates G G on the front and rear sides of the head-block, and V0 o are inverted cups or followers arranged in said sockets and pivoted to the supporting-plates m. These cups or followers are provided with upwardly-proj ecting ears, which are pivoted in the recesses of the supporting-plates m by a transverse bolt m2, passing through the plate and ears.

p are spiral springs seated in the sockets of the supporting-plates G, upon which the cups or followers o rest. The upward movement of the followers in the sockets is limited by vertical rods or stems q, formed on the followers and passing through the bottom of the sockets and nuts or washers q', applied to the projecting ends of said rods and bearing against the under sides of the sockets.

The spring-supporting sockets n n are arranged below the upper edge of the headblock, as represented in the drawings, so as to lower the bolster to about the position of an ordinary bolster having no spring-supports.

R is the rear bolster, which is supported by springs arranged in sockets r, attached to opposite sides of the rear axle. These sockets are formed on yokes r', which embrace the rear axle. The followers arranged within the sockets are pivoted to the supporting-plates r2 in a manner similar to the followers of the front sockets n n.

By arranging the springs below the upper edge of the head-block and rear axles the body, while being yieldingly supported, is not elevated above the height of an ordinary wagonbody, and by providing springs for the bolsters both on the front and rear sides thereof the ends of the bolsters are supported at two points located on opposite sides of the bolster, whereby the latter are prevented from tipping forwardly or backwardly and the liability of wrenching their supports is largely reduced. Thelongitudinalpivotsconnecting the bolsters with the followers permit the bolsters to rock or assume an inclined position without causing the followers to bind in ltheir supports.

s s represent inclined braces extending from opposite ends of the head-block to the reach, whereby the head-block is held in its proper position.

T represents a compound brace connecting the upper side of the reach with the under side of the body or box, whereby excessive vertical and lateral deection of the reach is prevented. This brace preferably consists of four inclined arms, two of which are arranged crosswise of the reach and the other two lengthwise thereof. These arms are secured at their upper ends to the under side of the body or box and are united at their lower ends by a perforated head S,which is detachably secured to perforated jaws 32, formed on a plate s3, secured to the upper side of the reach, the head being confined between said jaws by a transverse connecting-bolt passing through the head and jaws, as represented in Figs. l and 2. Upon withdrawing said connecting-bolt the box may be removed from the running-gear. As the reach is rigidly attached to the head-block or axle-tree andthe draft being applied below the reach, the draft has a tendency to pull or deiiect the reach downward through the inclined braces s s, while when the wheels strike an obstruction the tendency is to deflect the reach upward and laterally. By my improved construction the reach is braced vertically as well as crosswise, thereby preventing excessive deection thereof in any direction and avoiding breakage of the same. This construction also permits the use of a comparatively light reach, as the reach is stiffened and supported by the body.

The reach possesses sufficient elasticity to accommodate itself to the movements of the yielding bolsters and follow the latter as they rise and fall. As the body is rigidly connected to the reach, it is held against lengthwise displacement by the same and the usual body-cleats on opposite sides of the bolsters are dispensed with. By this construction the body merely rests upon the bolsters, thereby relieving the latter from strains tending to wrench or unduly tip the bolsters and avoiding the liability of distorting or breaking the supporting-springs.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination, with the axle-tree and bolster, of sockets attached to opposite sides of the axle-tree, supporting-springs seated in said sockets, and followers arranged in the IOO IIO

sockets upon the springs and pivotally attached to the bolster, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the axle-tree or front frame having bearings, of an upright hollow spindle journaled in said bearings and provided with a horizontal axle-socket and vertical bolts passing through the ends of the hollow spindle and said bearings, whereby the spindle is confined in its bearings, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the head-block or front axle and the rear axle, of a reach con necting the head-block and axle, yielding bolsters supported thereon, the body or box resting upon said holsters, and a compound connecting-brace consisting of transverse and longitudinal arms secured at their upper ends to the box and at their lower ends to the reach, whereby the brace resists both vertical and lateral deflection of the reach, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the head-block or axle -tree and the rear axle, of a reach connecting the head-block and rear axle, yielding holsters supported thereon, the body or box resting upon said holsters, and a compound brace consisting of transverse and 1ongitndinal arms secured at their upper ends to the body and connected at their lowerV ends by a head which is detachably secured to the reach, substantially as set forth.

lVitness my hand this 23d day of August, 1890.

LORENZO D. I-IURD.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. BLACKMAN, CALEB S. HALL. 

